Prince (November 4, 1981) Controversy / When You Were Mine – Single 7" NL
- GlamSlamEscape
- Nov 4, 1981
- 2 min read
Prince released “Controversy” as a single in the Netherlands on November 4, 1981, backed with “When You Were Mine”. It was issued in both 7" and 12" formats, along with a special Christmas promo edition.
RRELEASE DETAILS
Artist: Prince
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Format: 7" / 12" Vinyl Single Country: Netherlands (Benelux) Released: November 4, 1981
Genre: Funk, Rock, Minneapolis Sound
A-Side: “Controversy”
Written by: Prince Produced by: Prince
B-Side: “When You Were Mine”
Written by: Prince Produced by: Prince
TRACK LIST
Netherlands 7" Commercial Single (WB 17.866)
A. Controversy – 3:39
B. When You Were Mine – 3:44
Netherlands 7" Christmas Promo Single (WB 17.866)
A. Controversy – 3:39
B. When You Were Mine – 3:44
Netherlands 12" Maxi-Single (WB 26195 / WB 26.195)
A. Controversy – 7:18
B. When You Were Mine – 3:44
INTERNATIONAL RELEASES
Brazil – Warner Bros. – 1981
Canada – Warner Bros. – 1981
Ecuador – Warner Bros. – 1981
Guatemala – Warner Bros. – 1981
Philippines – Warner Bros. – 1981
UK – Warner Bros. – 1981
(Oct 23 1981)
Australia – Warner Bros. – 1982
International Variants all released with same two tracks ( although some dates may differ)
PERSONNEL
Prince – lead and backing vocals, Oberheim OB-X, Oberheim OB-SX, electric guitars, bass guitar, Pearl SY-1 Syncussion, handclaps
Lisa Coleman – backing vocals
Morris Day – possible drums
Production
Produced by Prince
THE STORY
“Controversy” features Prince reciting the Lord’s Prayer and provocative lyrics addressing race, rules, and nudity. It was the title track and lead single from the Controversy album.
CONTEXT & NOTES
The song generated some controversy for its religious and sexual content but achieved strong success on the dance charts. It was later included on The Hits/The B-Sides. A live version from Hawaii was released digitally in 2004.
SOURCES
Prince Vault
Discogs
45cat
Wikipedia
Sleevographia2
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All single artwork, photographs, logos, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.
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